Press timer



Oct. 23,1951 R. G. MCLAGAN PRESS TIMER Filed Aug. 14, 1947 7 wkwmmmATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 23, 1951 PRESS TIMER Russell G. McLagan,Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The American Laundry Machinery Company,Norwood Station, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio ApplicationAugust 14, 1947, Serial No. 768,670

1 Claim.

This invention relates to timing devices, such as are employed fortiming the operation of machines or machine parts.

One example oi such use is in the operation of presses for pressing orironing articles of wearing apparel such as mens shirts or outergarments, such as coats and trousers. Such machines may be operated andcontrolled by fluid pressure. The operator actuates a controlling valveto close the press, the control system including means for maintainingthe operating fluid pressure. When the pressing operation is concluded,the pressure is relieved or evacuated and the press opens.

The present invention provides automatic timing means, set intooperation when the operator causes the press to close, which causes itto open after the lapse of an interval the duration of which may bevaried as desired. When the press opens the timing parts automaticallyreturn to their original positions ready for another operation.

One object of the present invention is to provide improved timing meansof the character described which is of simple construction, isdependable in operation and is not likely to get out of order inservice.

Another object is to provide improved timing means which can be made,assembled and operated in multiple form, capable of simultaneouslycontrolling or handling several machines or operations.

A further object is to provide improved timing mechanism in which asingle pilot motor can be made to control several machines or devices.

Still another object is to provide improved timing mechanism including afriction clutch capable of slipping when the timer performs itsactuating function, thus preventing stalling of the pilot motor.

A further obiect is to provide improved timing mechanism which includesautomatic resettingV means which is reliable in operation and which,also, is unaffected by adjustment of timer for diiTerent time periods.

Further objects of the invention in part are obvious and in part Willappear more in detail hereinafter.

In the drawings, which represent one suitable embodiment of theinvention, Fig. l is a front elevation, with parts broken out and insection;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the line 2 2, Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a detail section, on a larger scale, on the line 3-3, Fig. 2;and

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing the timer applied for the control of agarment press.

Referring to Fig. l, the timing mechanism or device shown includes abase l0 designed for mounting upon a suitable support and to carry theoperating mechanism. This includes a shaft Il journalled in bearingsupports l2 and driven through conventional s-peed reducing gearing I3by a small pilot motor I4. This rotates constantly at uniform speed, thereducing gearing cutting the speed down to a low value, say 1 or 2 R. P.M.

Shaft l l operates the timing mechanism which may be a single mechanismor include a plurality thereof spaced at intervals along the shaft, butall operated thereby and each of several being effective or operatingindependently of all others. While any number of separate timers may beused, the drawings show four. Since all are alike, description of onewill apply to and suffice for all.

These timing devices are frequently used to control the operation of oneor several machines, particularly machines which are started,independently of the timer, either automatically or by operator controlwhich also initiates operation of the timer. which at the conclusion ofthe operation, stops the machine, for example, and also resets the timerto zero position, ready for another operation. When Several machines arecontrolled, more or less individually or independently of each other,the timer obviously must be located at a convenient central point withsome communication to and from each machine. Thus, the timer includes atimer controller or operator to initiate its action and which iscontrolled from the machine or the governor therefore, and also acontroller for the machine,l such as to stop it, actuated by the timer.These two controllers, in the timer, may be servomotors of either theelectrical or fluid pressure form, both being convenient for use inremote control. For example, the timer controller servomotor may be asolenoid or electromagnet and the machine controller an electric switch.The drawings, however, show the timer, or one unit thereof, arranged tocontrol a fluid pressure operated system, and more particularly such asystem `of a conventional garment press later described more in detail.The two controllers, therefore, are of uid pressure form.

The timer controller (Fig. 2) is a fluid pressure servomotor I5,supplied with pressure through conduit i6, the diaphragm of which motoractuates a plunger Il, the free end of which abuts and operates one armof a bell crank lever I8 (Fig. 3).

The machine controller is a normally closed valve I9 controlling the owof iluid pressure, e. g. air pressure, from a manifold Eil, to which alltimer units are connected, supplied by a conduit 2| communicating with asource of fluid pressure flnot shown). This valve is actuated by alinger 22, later referred to.

The active mechanism of each timer unit includes the two members of afriction clutch, which normally lie in clutch-open or uncoupledrelation, toward which they are biased. The driving member of the clutchcouple is a disc 23 iiXed to shaft i I, as by set screw 2d, andlprovided with a facing E of friction material. 'This cooperates withthe like facing 26 on a driven disc 21 loosely rotatable upon andslidable .longitudinally along the shaft. Disc 2l is biased toward theright in Fig. 3 by compression spring 28 so that it always hugs or abutsthe second and flanges 3! and attached to the base it. To this plate isconnected at 3io one end of a spiral coiled spring 3i, like a clockspring, the other end of which is attached at aib to finger 22, beforereferred to, attached to driven disc 21.

In Fig. 2 shaft Ii rotates counterclockwise, and spring 3l is ofsuch'form, and is so tensioned, that it always tends to turn disc 2'!clockwise, or in the opposite direction from that of shaft rotation.

Each unit of the timer is enclosed between two sections -32 of a housingor cover, said sections being spaced apart to provide a slot along whichmay be adjusted a stop device 33 ycapable of being clamped in anydesired position by the binding nut 34. A scale 35 may be inscribedalongside each slot, with divisions indicating time intervals.

The drawings show one unit of the timer, .say the fourth from the leftin Fig. 1, conventionally indicated by the dot-dash rectangle A in Fig.4, connected to time or control the pressure period of a laundry orgarment press of conventional form. This comprises a frame d@ on whichis mounted a bed 4I cooperating with a pressing head 42 carried by apivoted lever i3 connected to the upper of two toggle links M, 45 thelower of which is pivoted to the bed. The press is opened by a tensionspring 4@ and is closed by supplying fluid pressure to a motor 41 thepiston of which is connected by rod 48 to the toggle knuckle. After thepress is closed heavy power pressure is applied to the work by theeffort of the piston i9 of a power motor 5G, said piston being connectedby rod 5I to the bed, which it elevates.

The press is controlled by two manually operatable supply `valves 6B, 6Iin series, an exhaust valve B2, capable of operation either by a manual63 or. by pressure supplied to a small servomotor 64, eiectve upon saidmanual, and a pressure maintaining supply valve 65, actuated byservomotor 66.

The operation is as follows:

The drawings show the press closed under full pressure, with the partsof the timing mechanism ready to release or open the press. However,assuming motor Ill in operation and the press wide open, the pistons ofthe two motors 41, 50 are full retracted; servomotors I5, 64, 65 areinactive; valves I8, S, 6I, 62 and 65 are driving relation.

closed; clutch 25, 2S is released; and linger 22 is held against stop 33by spring 3l. In Fig. 2, stop 33 is shown adjusted to a position about90 from the stem of valve I9. Since shaft II rotates at 1 R. P. M. thatmeans that it requires about 15 seconds for the ringer to reach thevalve stem, when the timer unit is energized. By adjusting the stop toother positions, or by using a diiierent ratio of speed reduction anddriving shaft II at other speeds, any desired time delay interval may besecured.

Now, assuming the stop 33 has been adjusted to lthe `proper position,with nnger 22 held against as described,- the press is closed by openingboth supply valves 60, 6I. Fluid pressure flows from the supply pipe 61through said valves and exhaust valve 52 to pipe 68 and thence to thecylinder .of motor 41, moving over its piston, straightening or closingtoggle links lid, i5 and closing the press, under light pressure, ifany.

As the piston of motor lll nears the end of its travel communication isIestablished to pipes 69, it. Pipe 6e supplies pressure `to motor 5D,which completes press closing under heavy pressure. Pipe 'It suppliespressure tothe servomotors 66, I5.

Servomotor t5 actuates valve 55, which supplies maintaining pressurefrom pipe H to pipe i5, and through pipe l!) to motors M, 5t, thusenabling the operator to release the manuals of valves Gil, El.

Pipe iii supplies pressure to actuate -servomotor of the particulartiming unit involved, the effect being to close the clutch faces 25, 25into Thereupon ldisc 2'! beginsto turn with dise 23, its travelcontinuing during the selected time interval, at 'the end of whichringer 22 engages the stem of valve 'i9 and opens said valve. Thisoperation vsupplies pressure from pipe El to pipe ill and thus to motor54, which operates to actuate the manual 153 and open eni haust valve62. Thereupon all pressure is evac-l uated from servomotors 'I5 Vand B5and from motors Eil. The press promptly opens and since the pressure ofservoinotor l5 upon lever i8 has been relieved disc El' moves awayironidisc 23 and the clutch opens. Thereupon spring SI returns nger 22to its original position against stop 33.

If other timing units are connected to andy op-f erated by shaft EI, andare operatively asso ciated with other machines, such as presses, thosepresses may be operated, independently or the press shown, withindividual control of each by its own timer, in the manner described. Oicourse, when several presses are arranged and operated in specialassociation with each other, asin the several presses of a shirt unit,those presses may have their controls connected for tandem operation,according to standard practice, without interference with or by thetiming mechanism here involved.

'The apparatus described is simple and highly efficient and readily maybe applied either to new presses or to old presses already in service.

Other advantages of the invention 'will be ap parent to those skilled inthe art.

What I claim is:

Timing apparatus of the character described comprising a continuouslyrotatable driving shaft, pilot motor means for rotating the same, adriving clutch member Xed to the shaft to rotate therewith, aco-operating driven clutch member rotatably mounted on the shaft, andalso movable axially thereon Within limits for' movement into and out ofcoupled relationship with its mated xed clutch member, helical springmeans between said mated clutch members disposed to bias said drivenclutch member toward uncouple'd relation, a Work controlling fluidpressure motor, manually operatable valve mechanism in fluid flowcommunication with said motor for controlling the flow of pressurethereto for energizing the same, lever means engageable with saidmovable clutch member to move the same into coupled relationship withits mate, a second fluid pressure motor effective, when energized tooperate said lever means, said first and second named iluid motors beingrespectively successively responsive to said manually operatable valvemechanism, a xed valve device in uid flow relationship with said rstnamed iiuid motor and located in the path Vof advance rotation of thedriven clutch member, said driven clutch member having a valve operatingfinger xed thereon and operatable thereby for contacting said valve andexhausting the pressure from said first named motor to deenergize thesame, said second named motor being in uid flow relationship with saidirst named motor whereby to be exhausted therewith, coil spring meanshaving one end fixed and the other end connected to said movable clutchmember and biased to cause rotation of 6 said movable clutch member inthe reverse direction to driven movement thereof whereby, when the matedclutch members are disengaged by exhaust of said second named uidpressure motor, operation of said helical spring returns said drivenclutch member to its initial position ready for another operation, andadjustable stop means in the path of and adapted to intercept said valveoperating finger during reverse rotation of said driven clutch memberwhereby such reverse rotation is adjustably predetermined and limited,to thereby control the arc of driven travel of said driven clutch memberduring which travel the said rst fluid pressure motor is effective.

RUSSELL G. MCLAGAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Brown Feb. 22, 1944

